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Will Be OEM In Certified 'Elite' Version Of The Airplane

Vertical Power announces that Progressive Aerodyne, Inc., manufacturer of the amphibious Searey Light Sport Aircraft in Florida, has chosen the Vertical Power VP-X Electronic Circuit Breaker System for the secondary power distribution system.

The VP-X will be included in all of the “Elite” versions of the certified Searey LSA. The VP-X integrates tightly with the Advanced Flight Systems EFIS, allowing pilots to monitor the status of individual electrical devices and manage the entire electrical system right from the EFIS.

The VP-X replaces 80-year-old thermal breaker technology, mechanical relays, and various modules with modern solid-state Electronic Circuit Breakers. The VP-X can detect short circuits, over-current conditions, and open-circuit faults. The VP-X is intelligent, configurable, and offers capabilities not otherwise available with old-style breakers. For example, the VP-X can detect a burned out landing light or disable the starter circuit while the engine is running.

“We are using the VP-X on all of our ‘Elite’ equipped Searey aircraft as a modern alternative to the traditional method of mechanical circuit breakers and complicated wiring,” said Adam Yang, CEO of Progressive Aerodyne, Inc. “We like that the electrical system information is right in front of the pilot on the EFIS, and it really cleans up the rest of the instrument panel since we no longer have mechanical circuit breakers in this version. We believe that the feature-rich solid state circuit breaker system will make flight safer and more fun.”

“The Searey Elite is an all-glass cockpit, and therefore the electrical system is a really important part of the aircraft,” said Marc Ausman, President of Vertical Power Inc. “The VP-X works beautifully with the Advanced Flight Systems EFIS and gives the pilot true visibility into the health and status of their electrical system.”